


From World to World to World

by dicehoard



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, But only light because I don't want to hurt my sweet dancing boy, Conquest timeline, M/M, Prince Inigo, Though saying that is strange considering the entire premise of this fic, but could probably fit any of the three timelines if you squint, don't worry about the death he gets better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 09:09:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14614920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dicehoard/pseuds/dicehoard
Summary: When Laslow dies, he expects that to be the end. But when he wakes up in a strange place by a mysterious summoner, he realises that his life isn't over yet. How will he react when people he knows arrive in Askr as well?





	From World to World to World

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this sitting in my files for a couple of months, because I was so dissatisfied with how it was turning out. But I revisited it today and managed to twist it into something I'm happy with!
> 
> On Inigo, I've always had him as Chrom's son in my playthroughs of Awakening (Although I do also love Cynthia as a Chromling!). I always imagine him to have a brand in the opposite eye to Lucina, since it offers a nice parallel between the two!

Laslow was no stranger to death. First with the Fell Dragon and then all that he had seen during his time in Nohr, it was something he was familiar with despite his best efforts at times. Yet staring up at the sky, dark and vast as it so often was in this land, he found himself ill-prepared for when it struck him. The thought that he was not ready for his own death made him laugh, forced and choked and swiftly devolving into a series of sputtering coughs.

“Sorry friends,” he whispered into the night air, although he knew that they wouldn’t be able to hear him. “I won’t be able to return with you.”

There had been times when he had fiercely missed his homeland and yet he felt no regret at dying so far away from it. In some ways, Nohr had become a home in and of itself. If anything, he regretted dying under a name not his own. Something so small but so capable of bringing a tear to his eye.

And so he lay there among his fellow soldiers, hoping that at least Severa and Owain would make it through the war. Still looking up at the darkened sky, he swore he could see the faintest pinpricks of light before he breathed his last and closed his eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

He had not expected to wake up. Slowly he sat up, surprised that his wounds had seemingly vanished, and peered around at the five stone pillars surrounding him. Brushing his hand against the floor beneath him, he turned to meet the eyes of the only other person there.

Or he would have, had it not been for the hood. Cloaked in white, the only part of their face that was visible was the mouth, crooked into a lopsided smile.

“Hail, friend,” the stranger greeted him, voice steady even as they levelled their strange weapon at him. “Might I ask for your name and where you have come from?”

“I am Inigo,” he said, seeing no reason in hiding any longer. After all, if he was dead then there was little point in lying about who he was. “I’m most recently a mercenary from the Kingdom of Nohr.” Before he could say any more, the stranger began speaking again.

“Oh, another Nohrian! Perhaps you are familiar with Elise, then?”

“Lady Elise…? Then this is the afterlife?”

“Oh, no! No! Nothing like that, I assure you. Please, come with me and I’ll explain everything.” At last, the stranger lowered their weapon and removed their hood, revealing a young face with sharp eyes. “Ah, my name is Kiran, by the way. Somehow I always forget to introduce myself when doing this.”

The next few minutes were spent with Kiran explaining how they had come to Askr and joined the Order of Heroes. Inigo simply feigned ignorance, asking as many questions as possible. Privately, he couldn’t help but compare it to how he had been sent to Nohr by Anankos. Certainly, the similarities were there.

He was cut off from his ponderings by somebody calling his name and as he turned to see who it was, he found small arms wrapped around his waist. For a moment all he could do was stare at Elise, stunned into silence. A retainer being friends with one of the royal family wasn’t unheard of, but some had always watched Inigo suspiciously when they spent time together, despite his insistence that his motives were nothing sinister.

The two had become friends after she had invented and organised a game of “Love Tag” with his assistance, and the pair had grown close. He almost revelled in the opportunity to act the doting big brother, having always allowed Lucina to do the same for him. Before he could stop himself, he felt tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Aw, come on, Laslow,” she whined, pulling back from her impromptu hug. “You could at least act a little happy to see me.”

“I am happy,” he said, a laugh bubbling to the surface, even with the tears. “So happy that I find myself moved to tears.”

“Oh! Well in that case, cry away!”

“Hold,” Kiran interrupted, brow furrowed in confusion. “I thought your name was Inigo.”

“Ah, yes. Well, it’s a funny story, that is.” Inigo couldn’t help but shift uncomfortably. “While in Nohr, I had to use a… false name. Laslow was a pseudonym of sorts, though I never truly understood why it was needed.”

“Ooh, so like a secret agent or something? Did my brother know?” Inigo didn’t answer and the silence was telling. “Well… I’m sure he won’t be _that_ mad.”

 

* * *

 

 

The next few days were spent acquainting himself with the camp and various “heroes” that had been summoned. Inigo found himself somewhat uncomfortable including himself in that category. A few other Nohrians came, the familiar armour putting him at ease, though he had yet to see anyone from Ylisse. He let himself relax for the time being – yes, this land was also at war, but for now he was free to spend his time as he wished.

Elise was happy to show him around, in exchange for titbits of information about his homeland as they strolled around the market. He kept much of it a secret, but was otherwise more than happy to tell her about the simpler things, like the tightly woven streets of Ylisstol and the thick forests that bordered the roads.

He’d been in the middle of explaining about the tournaments held in Regna Ferox, when he spotted a flash of blue hair. Craning his neck, he tried not to get his hopes up. Yet through the crowd, he soon caught sight of a familiar falchion and was running, despite how Elise called after him.

Elbowing his way past those around him, he kept his eyes firmly on the figure ahead. He wanted desperately to call out to her, yet the words seemed stuck in his throat. Finally he was in reach, placing a hand on the woman’s shoulder. She spun around at the sudden contact and the two siblings met one another’s eyes.

“Lu-” Before he could even get so much as her name out, Inigo found herself swept up in a hug. The embrace lasted only a few brief seconds as Lucina leaned back and hit him on the head.

“Where have you _been,_ Inigo?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Elis, having caught up just in time to see it happen, grabbed at Inigo’s arm and pulled him back slightly. “You can’t just go hitting people like that! Laslow, are you okay? Who is this? Is she…” Elise gasped, her mouth dropping open in surprise. “Could it be?! Laslow, is this your girlfriend?!”

“His wha- No, I’m his _sister_! Gods, Inigo, you have a lot of explaining to do.”

“Yes, yes, I know,” he said, running a hand through his hair. The blow hadn’t been enough to seriously hurt him, but it still stung. “Perhaps not in the middle of the street, however? I do believe we’re gathering quite the audience.”

Lucina blinked and realised that a small crowd had indeed formed around them. Smiling rather sheepishly, she grabbed her brother’s wrist and dragged him off, Elise following behind. The three of them passed the outward fringes of the marketplace, settling in a small grove of trees and sitting beneath the shade of a large willow tree. At first, none of them spoke.

“You’ve changed, Inigo,” Lucina said simply, watching him intently.

“I suppose you could say that, I’m quite the dashing gent now, aren’t I?”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it. Your hair is a different colour and the brand isn’t present anymore. What happened? The three of you just vanished, Mother’s been worried sick and Aunt Lissa has been beside herself. Where were you?”

“It’s a long story. We were approached by-” He paused, glancing at Elise. “Someone, who said that we were needed elsewhere. He changed our appearance, our names and even gave us… powers that we did not have before. He sent us to Nohr, where we were to become retainers and help save the kingdoms.” Inigo can’t help the broken laugh that tumbles out. “I guess we failed at that.”

“Oh, Las- Inigo,” Elise cried, darting forward to wrap him in a tight hug. “It’s not your fault!”

“She’s right,” Lucina added, placing a comforting hand on his arm. “That you even did any of that is amazing in and of itself. You cannot blame yourself for what happened, any more than you could for what happened with Grima.” She stands, joining in the hug, awkwardly patting Elise’s back in the process.

“You know,” Inigo croaked, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. “If you keep this up, I’ll have to cry on you and it won’t be pretty. I’ll get your clothes all damp and it’ll be unpleasant for everyone involved.”

And with that, the moment was broken, Lucina snorting out a quick laugh, and the topic turning to one far more light-hearted.

 

* * *

 

 

He and Elise were filling in Lucina on what had happened during his time in Nohr, regaling her with tales about their failed dance lessons when they heard a shout. Any peace that had been present was shattered. The two of them looked up in unison in time to see an armoured figure swoop down upon Elise and pull her into a crushing hug.

Immediately Inigo was filled with both relief and dread. Prince Xander was just as he always had been – tall, imposing and with a face of stone. Yet the stone had cracked, his face showing a million emotions at once. There was the relief that Inigo shared, but also pain and regret. He wondered what he had missed during his short time here, to put such an expression on his liege’s face.

Xander was mumbling something to Elise, words too hurried and quiet for Inigo to catch them. Feeling awkward at seeing such a display, he edged backwards so as to leave. But this small movement seemed to pull Xander’s attention to him, despite the tight grip he still held on his sister. They stood with their eyes locked, Inigo unable to look away or move any further.

“Milord,” he said, his voice coming out strained and not at all like his own. They continued to stare at one another, before Xander dismissed him altogether, not saying a single word, and turned back to Elise.

Inigo did not stay another second, even as Lucina called out to him, turning on his heel and fleeing.

 

* * *

 

 

He spent two days avoiding Prince Xander and another four being avoided. Every time he tried to speak to him, the man simply ignored him and walked away or – in one case – mounted his horse and left Inigo in the dust. Suffice to say, he was feeling rather downtrodden and had gone off in search of tea to soothe his sorrows. His current cup had gone cold and so he simply traced a finger around the edge of the teacup as his focus stayed off in the distance.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Elisa said, staring down at him with her arms folded. “I’m fed up of you two moping around!”

“I’m not moping…”

“You absolutely are,” Lucina interjected, glaring at her brother.

“See?! And I’m not putting up with it any longer. Things will all be better if you and Xander can just talk and be friends again!” The two young women looked at each before nodding. Grabbing him by the each arm, the pair of him dragged him away despite his protests, earning a few bewildered glances from those around the camp.

At last, they reached Xander’s tent and Inigo found himself being shoved inside. He got one last glimpse of Elise, who gave him a hasty thumbs up, and one of Lucina’s softest smiles before the tent flaps closed behind him. Turning slowly, as if to prolong the moment, he faced Xander. In the days that had passed, he had regained his stony façade and Inigo couldn’t speak. There seemed so much distance between them now, but nevertheless he had to try.

“Milord, I-”

“Do you remember when I told you what happened to my previous retainers? I asked that you not make me experience such a thing again, and you could not even give me that.” Inigo couldn’t help flinching at this and opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off again. “That same evening, you asked if I would be angry or if I’d forgive you for abandoning me, were you to go somewhere where I would be unable find you. I said I would but when I found your body? I found myself struggling to do so.”

At this, the prince turned away from him, shoulders stiff. Somehow, Inigo found this more telling than if he’d continued to look at his face. With Xander seemingly have finished speaking, he tried once more to say his piece.

“Milord, I made a mistake. I saw what I thought to be Lady Elise cut down by the Hoshidans, even when you claimed otherwise. It was… I was reminded of a time long past where I lost a great many people I was close to. I thought that at least I could avenge her, where I couldn’t those so long ago.” He swallowed, trying to clear the lump in his throat to no avail. Speaking of Grima’s ruin always took its toll on him. “But in the end, all I did was throw my life away. I made a mistake.”

“You did,” Xander agreed and Inigo felt himself slump at this. “Were it anyone else, I most likely would have cursed your name until the end of my days. As it is, I shall do so only once.” He turned back and there was the tiniest smile on his lips. “Damn you, Laslow, for I cannot find myself staying angry at you for long. Or I suppose it’s Inigo now, yes?”

He couldn’t help it. Inigo burst into tears, the heavy sobs wracking his body. He tried to stop them, pressing his hands into his eyes and holding his breath in the hopes that they would slow, but still the tears came. Xander stepped forward, hesitating for a moment before pulling the slighter man into his arms. This only seemed to worsen the crying, as Inigo held tightly to him and tangled his fingers into the prince’s clothes.

“For-Forgive me, milord,” Inigo sniffled, after some time. “It seems that since I’ve come here, I’ve done nothing but cry.”

“That’s quite alright,” he soothed, his hand gently stroking the other’s hair. “It’s not as if I haven’t seen you do so before.” Xander let out a soft chuckle, leaning back to look down at him. “It is good to see you well, Inigo.”

“I’m truly sorry, I-”

“None of that. I’ve forgiven you… mostly. But I do believe you have a few things to tell me, no?”

“I do,” Inigo said, a watery smile falling into place. “But don’t you think it would be better over some tea?”

Xander’s laughter boomed out and soon Inigo’s joined in, softer and not quite so deep. Things were not fixed, not yet. But they were certainly on their way.


End file.
